A few weeks ago, when our family was in Colorado, we spent a day at Garden of the Gods.
It was our childrens’ first time to go to Colorado and they were so excited about getting to go “mountain climbing” (as they referred to climbing on the rocks at Garden of the Gods).
They had a blast and it was so fun to watch them all enjoying God’s creation and this free natural “playground.”
However, they were quite fearless, so it was a little unnerving for me as their mom!
At the same time, though, I was excited to see that my two usually more fearful ones were showing such bravery.
It made me realize that they are growing up and maturing and tackling adventures they never would have a year or two ago.
Silas was so determined to climb up the rocks himself. I loved seeing his perseverance!
The views were breathtaking–quite a contrast from the flat land in Kansas!
As we were getting ready to leave, I happened to notice these beautiful flowers growing out of a particularly rocky and barren area. As soon as I saw them, I knew I had to take a picture for myself–and for you all.
Many of you are going through hard, hard times right now. I read your emails and my heart breaks at the struggles and troubles you have on your plate. I can’t even bear to imagine some of your circumstances and the burdens you have weighing on you.
But I want you to look at these flowers and be encouraged. Even in the midst of the rockiest times, you can still bloom. When you just want to wither away because you feel dried up and exhausted, don’t lose hope!
We are blessed to live in Colorado Springs right now (here because of the Army) and absolutely love it. Garden of the Gods is our all time place to go with the kids. It is gorgeous here–every day when I see Pike’s Peak topped with snow, I can’t help but be thankful to God! 🙂
I don’t usually comment much eventhough I read your blog often especially now that I am nursing my 5th child. I live in Colorado Springs and would love to meet you when you are in town again! My kids love Garden of the Gods.
I love your blog and all the great info you provide and share with others!
I just want to say, thank you Crystal for this post. Your family is beautiful of course! The pic with the flowers just touched me so. Today was a really hard day, as I am in one of those hard times right now. I am a single mom with 4 kids just trying to make it day to day and your encouragement really uplifted me. Thank you again!
You have such a wonderful way of putting heart into your words. I just love reading everything you put on your blog. Keep being a positive life giving force dear woman. I remember stumbling across your Biblical Womanhood site years ago and being so touched by your love of our Lord. It is so neat to see all of the ways that your faith inspires your words and action. I just love it! God keep showering down his graces!
Crystal you are such a wonderful encourager, a great gift from God, thank you for using your gifts to help others and Glorify God! You are an inspiration to so many!
Thank you so much for your kind encouragement!
Those flowers are wild purple asters. Here in the desert, where I live, they are a really nice fall surprise. The plants look like nasty little weeds until they pop open in the fall and give us a blaze of purple. The thing I like best about them is that they seem to be able to grow anywhere; sun or shade, wet or dry.
What a lovely, encouraging post. Indeed only God can cause flowers to bloom in a desolate place and sustain them to boot!
First, your family is beautiful…that little boy is growing so fast! Your girls are so cute!
Second, your sentiment and encouragement was truly beautiful. Thank you for the reminders!
Love the photos! I haven’t ever been to Colorado but have seen lots of photos posted lately and it looks gorgeous. It’s on my “someday” list. However we are moving back to Cali from TX in a few weeks and are going to stop by the Grand Canyon (never been before) and I’m excited!
Thank you for the photo of the flowers. Today it made me cry(in an uplifting way) 🙂 Thank you again
Thank you for the inspiring post. It made my day. 🙂
This is why they call it Colorful Colorado!!! I am blessed to live here, and to be able to take advantage of our beautiful gifts of nature 🙂 It is not the things in life that bring us pleasure, it’s the people!!! This is shining true in your photos!!! Glad you had such a wonderful time 🙂
Thank you. My heart is hurting right now, as I am separated from my husband, and he is considering filing for divorce. It isn’t what I want, and I am still praying for a miracle. But, I know every day that my God is bigger than any problem I face. I feel him here with me every second of every day. He gives me a peace and comfort that no one else can give, and he has surrounded me with godly friends and family to life me up in prayer, encourage me, and hold me accountable. I’m doing all I can to keep blooming!
I have a list of the top 10 places/things in the world I want to photograph over my lifetime and Garden of the Gods is one of them! I have never been but my husband grew up going and talks about it often!
I have pictures of my kids in some of those same spots! Beautiful! Thanks for sharing; so glad to see your family doing well.
I can’t believ how much older Kathrynne looks!
I love Colorado! I’ve been to Garden of the Gods once briefly, but it was raining. I hope to return to that area again. I recently spent a week in the Durango area. I absolutely love the rocks, greenery and blue skies of Colorado. We may have mountains in California but you can see them through the smog!
Thanks for sharing all of those fun pictures. And what a wonderful reminder those flowers are!
Love that area of Colorado….and when God’s creation speaks to us about the goodness of our creator. 🙂 May we continue to be aware of the beauty growing from crags…
Crystal,
Thank you for sharing these beautiful pics of your husband and three little ones.
Yet again you help provide all of us with hope. Did you think that years ago while living in the tiny apartment that you and your family would be able to afford a wonderful vacation?
Those of us going thru the hard times need to take heed. It reminds me to really study the Bible more and find out where He wants me to work next. I was blessed with a temp job that lasted 1 yr and 8 months, not bad for being a work comp temp! I ask that others do not give up, there truly is hope!
We were just at Garden of the Gods in July. What a beautiful (and free!) place it is! And your kids are adorable!
I love this post, and especially love, love, LOVE the one of your girls “holding” the rock up with Silas on top – too cute!
Thank you so much for sharing this peek into your family – I’m glad you had a great trip!
They had so much fun “staging” that photo!
What beautiful scenery … and a beautiful family to boot 🙂 Thanks for the post and the encouragement.
What a beautiful family you have Crystal! Thank you for putting such a personal touch to Money Saving Mom. The deals are great, but it’s you (and your amazing team) that keep me coming back every day.
I second this!
What a beautiful Family. Thank you for sharing a place I have not been to. Yet!? You children look very HAPPY! What a beautiful thing. The sparkle and light in a child’s eyes in the sunniest days and darkest of nights. Really saw it for first time during a Barbara Streisand concert. A girl ( daughter)? Was in the audience and I saw that twinkle in girls eyes. Very nice.
Thanks for posting some photos of your family, and the lessons you learned. We moved from Maryland to California in September (driving a U-haul truck), and we were just amazed at the beauty of the creation from coast to coast. 🙂
Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing!
Really enjoyed this post. I have to add that Silas’ little work boots are too cute! Adorable kids!! They look like they are having so much fun!
My husband and I had our honeymoon in Colorado Springs, and have been back many times (it’s our favorite vacation spot!) This past summer, when we were hiking there we saw those same flowers and I mentioned the “bloom where you’re planted” quote to my husband (he hadn’t heard it before.)
Those flowers are such an amazing reminder that we’re all put right where God wants us (even when we’re not so sure about it!) Thanks so much for sharing (and it looks like you had a great time – your family is precious!)
I have to admit that I’m pretty jealous of that nice weather. It looks like you guys had a great vacation. 🙂
Jeremiah 17:8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
This is where my husband proposed to me. Thank for the pictures to remind me of the beauty.
You’re are such an inspiration to me, and it’s so wonderful to hear encouraging words! I may not be in a terrible spot, but sometimes life is just hard and it is so wonderful to read something like this and remember the beauty that the Lord can put into something we’re likely to ignore. Our God is so Great 🙂
II am lucky enough to live in the beautiful state of Colorado! It is amazing and everywhere you go there is some kind of beauty. Such a blessing to live here. Love this post, thanks for sharing:)
You look younger and your kids look older!
Thank you for this post, Crystal! Sometimes it’s hard to see the delicate beauty in such desolate surroundings…
Did you guys hit up Focus on the Family? They have an INCREDIBLE play area FREE year round and it is well worth the visit – especially if you like “Adventures in Odyssey”…
Yes, we spent another day there. We all really enjoyed it!
My kids (now ages 16, 14, and 9) are still dying to visit the real Whit’s End! Some things, you just don’t outgrow! 🙂
My children were quite disappointed that Whit and Connie weren’t there. I felt badly that they thought we were actually visiting Whit’s End and all the characters would be there!
Oh my goodness, there’s a “real” Whit’s End? Now *I* want to go see it! 😉
Very uplifting post. Thank you
I think that’s the first family photo I’ve seen! Beautiful family!
I think it’s the first family photo we’ve had taken in a year or more. We need to do better about getting family photos! A kind lady came up and offered to snap one for us and I was so happy to have it for our photo book.
That’s so nice! We’re terrible about taking family pictures. Benjamin is 9 1/2 months old (!) and we STILL don’t have a really good family photo. Pitiful!
Your family is beautiful, Crystal. I can’t believe how big all your kids are getting. When I started reading Biblical Womanhood way back in the day, Kathrynne was just a baby!
We visited my sister who lives just a few minutes from there this summer. It’s such a change of scenery for us east coast dwellers. Having just come through those hard, hard times (my son had leukemia, we lost one income, and moved to another state) I KNOW there is hope in the Lord!
Wow, what a beautiful touching post. Thanks for taking the time to share with us what God is teaching you!